MONTH-IN-PERSPECTIVE
New Delhi: Post demonetization, the eagerly awaited Union budget has come. As expected, it has tried to mollify ruffled temper of Indians who suffered due to the abrupt cessation of HD currency notes. It has tried to be politically correct by accommodating give aways to possible vote banks. Every government does it, every year, in one way or the other. But this was pleasantly surprising in many ways. To the middle class, the reduction of 10% to 5% income tax for `2.5 lakh to `5 lakh earners, is a welcome development, although the expectation was it would do away with `2.5 lakh limit to increase it to `5 lakh limit. Budget has also tried to be welfare oriented by allocating funds to spend 24% more for rural India and 35% raise in allocation to Dalits. Reduction of Corporate Income Tax for SME companies was welcomed by industry, although it complained about not being pari passu when it came to companies beyond `50 crores turnover. But then very principle of taxation is based on ‘what traffic can bear’. Declaring Rail Suraksha Kosh with a corpus of `1lakh crore over a period of 5 years is most welcome, with rail safety going for a toss in recent times. Thrust on affordable housing by elevating it to infrastructure status and increased allocation for highway construction by 12% are two powerful prime movers for both socio-economic equity and boost for empowerment of have nots. In a path-breaking step, the government proposed to setup mini-labs in Krishi Vigyan Kendra for soil testing so also has initiated measures to setup a long term irrigation fund in Nabard with `40,000 crores. MNREGA has received a boost with a huge allocation of `48,000 crores. The promise of 100% electrification of villages by 2018, is another highlight of the budget. The reduction of political funding in cash from `20,000 to `2,000/- is a welcome proposal in the face of black money playing its role in political funding. Of course, those who give `2,000/- will repeat it 10 times to hide their identities. But still, it can have some effect on the bottom line, for some.
All in all, it’s fairly a positive budget. Of course, for those who want to criticize, need not have reasons, like opposition parties do it routinely ‘sticking to script’. Not that it does not have any shortcoming, but let’s take the positive and leave the negative to pessimist. As usual criticism, just for the heck of it, takes us no-where. Hope all proposals of the budget are carried to its logical end.
In recent times, BSF has been in the news for some wrong reasons. Reasons, they should be reasonably disturbed about.
In all forces, whether army, navy or air force, Border Security forces and there are other national security related agencies, besides police, the sentries or jawans or constables are always badly treated in all respects. Whether, it’s their food, clothing, accommodation or even their pay packet. There is no fairness. It is a fact, known across the spectrum. But no-body complains because of its ‘discipline’ and of course, the fear of possible retribution at the hands of seniors.
For every level there is something of a difference of vertical nature with pay and perks. But there is something as basic minimum, quality of food, quality of accommodation facility and of course a living wage. It is so in most part of the world. But in India, difference between the top man and the bottom man can be truly staggering.
Hence, the video of a BSF Jawan from 29 Battalion in Poonch, uploaded on social media, showing picture of poor quality chapathi or roti, and watery dal and had requested the PMO to probe where he accused higher-ups selling the essentials procured for jawans.
According to the jawan “We only get a paratha and tea as breakfast without any pickle or vegetable, we slog for 11 hours and at times we have to stand throughout the duty hours. For lunch, we get dal which only has haldi (turmeric) and salt with roti. This is the quality of the food we get, how can a jawan do his duty”. He also fears that, now that he has gone public higher-up may do anything and asked public to take it forward.
As expected the authorities came up with the story of BSF is highly sensitive to the welfare of troops and have ordered an inquiry and that Jawan has remarks on him in the past, etc. Reportedly he has been shifted and his supervisor suspended. The latest is not known, although the VRS that the jawan had requested has been withheld.
Then comes this news of a clerk going public with his video alleging sale of liquor to civilians, which was meant for BSF personnel, this is despite his complaints in the past and no action taken he alleges.
Thus, once the clerk posted his video, the authorities responded by ordering a probe. But then this is an open secret that liquor is sold to civilians at a premium, which is sold to security forces at a highly subsidized rate. According to the video of the clerk, one Chaudhary from Bikaner Rajasthan, who works at 150 Battalion in Gandhidham Kutch, Gujarat, ‘a civilian is seen carrying liquor bottles. In Gujarat sale and consumption of liquor is prohibited.’ He alleges “we cannot even ask for good food, if someone complains, he is treated as if he has committed a grave offence. All wants to end corruption. But nobody comes forward to end it. Every time a whistle blower is punished and all rules are applied against him, but nothing happens to the corrupt.” He had complained four months ago about liquor sale to civilian. But nothing happened. “Hence I am going public. I am not afraid of being transferred. But they cannot break my morale”. So, the stories are real. This is Yeh Mera India, where good not rewarded and wicked never punished.
Something is not really alright with the Supreme Court/ High Court judges, especially when it comes to granting custody of small children. Some judges seem to think, they know better when it comes to child’s welfare, even better than child psychologists. In fact, it is neither the judge nor the child psychologist who are qualified to sit on judgement when it comes to child custody, it is the child alone who should decide. It is the right of the child to decide its future, where it feels more secure and comfortable to opt for either of the parent. It is simply not the case of parent’s rights as to who should have the custody. Court has no business in interfering with the emotional demands of the child.
The other day Bombay High Court (BHC) granted the custody of child to the mother, despite the inconsolably crying child wanting to go with the father. It was a case of father kidnapping the child boy returning from school, while it was in the custody of mother. She went to police and then to BHC. Judges reprimanded the father for taking the child away. But the learned judges failed to ask the child, ‘are you happy with the father or you want to return to mother’. Child had clearly made-up its mind to go with the father, but court forced its way to let mother take the custody and asked parents leave the court primises. By this judgement, court has clearly hurt the interest of the child and in the process denied the moral right of father and caused the rupture of the even pace of father-child bonding and possibly even the future life of the child.
Then comes another case where an 8 year old daughter was handed over to the mother, by the Supreme Court, despite the child’s desire to live with her father. Even the child counselor had observed that child was in a very sensitive phase of mental and physical growth and it was in her best interest that the present arrangement is not disturbed as she remained with the father since she was 21 months old”. That is over 6 years with the father. And the judges in their wisdom thought otherwise. In their strange logic, they contended similar time frame should be given to the mother for the child to develop affinity and love for the mother. They used the term ‘level playing field’. It was clearly a case of miscarriage of justice. Certainly a child counselor is more competent than judges in such cases. But most important was the wishes of this minor girl child, which court clearly trampled, by completely ignoring it and forcing the child to go with the mother. It was indeed very sad.
Madhya Pradesh: Reacting to a piece of writing in “India Against Demonetization” on 9th Feb one Mr. Gilbert D’Souza accused a section of Indians as “uncouth, uncivil, regressive, uncultured, pedestrian, autocratic… I can go on”. Probably he ran out of his steam. Then comes this story on 11th Feb, of Wang Chi, a Chinese soldier, who had strayed into India, post 1962 war with India. He was captured on Jan. 3, 1963. He was treated as a spy and spent some 8 years in different Indian prisons. Since he could not establish contact with his people in China, despite all help from the government of India, he settled down in a village, Tirodi in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. He adopted an Indian name Raj Bahadur Wang, got married to an Indian woman and reportedly has grand children. He remembers the help and assistance received from former PM Rajiv Gandhi, so also former Deputy PM L.K. Advani, whom this Mr. Gibert B’Souza had called “uncouth, uncivil, regressive, uncultured, pedestrian, autocratic etc”, since Mr. LK Advani is from BJP.
Now after 54 years, Chinese Authorities have relented and have given him a Chinese Passport and a Visa. It took some 25 years to get his letter across to his mother in China, who had replied that “now she would sleep in peace after 24 years of frantic search”. “Sadly, my mother passed away without seeing me,” he recalls. According to Wang Chi urf Raj Bahadur Wang, wants to visit China just once, after which he will settle down in Balaghat ‘forever’. If only this Wang Chi urf Raj Bahadur Wang had heard of Mr. Gilbert D’Souza, may be, he may never want to come back to the ‘uncouth, uncivil, uncultured’ Madhya Pradesh, India.
JHARKHAND: Indeed things are changing for better, although very slowly. Better late than never. Something is better than nothing. A former Jharkhand minister is reportedly jailed for Money Laundering. According to Ranchi datelined media report Harinarayana Rai, who held different cabinet portfolios under different governments, was sentenced by the court of special judge B.K. Tiwari, for 7 years rigorous imprisonment and was fined `5 lakh.
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was enacted in 2002 and being implemented from 2005 in order to check and curb black money and grave financial crimes.
And this Jharkhand minister Harinarayan Rai, reportedly became the first to be convicted, and that too a three time cabinet minister in three governments. That is indeed a good development. “Kaanoon ke haath bahoot lambey hotey hain”. If both executive (police, CBI, E.D. etc) and judiciary (lawyers & judges) honestly join hands and sincerely work together conviction of persons like Minister Rai should be so much easier.
All news savvy Indians are privy to the fact, that in public space, there are any number of stories, about members of all estates of our democratic milieu, be it legislature, executive, judiciary and even media are involved in grave financial misdemeanors of different types. There are also senior functionaries and owners of business houses too in this game of financial skull drudgery. Unfortunately, despite there being all kinds of laws to check such crimes in public space and many have been booked by law enforcing authorities, last word was rarely said. Hence it took some 12 years for the first conviction under the new enactment of PMLA. Yes, better late than never.
According to the report, it was Jharkhand’s Vigilance Bureau that filed an FIR in 2009 against the minister Rai, then CBI too probed, besides Enforcement Directorate(ED). Rai had 3 shell companies in the name of his wife and brother and laundered unaccounted money he made by misappropriation of public fund.
Reportedly court found minister Rai guilty for laundering proceeds of crime to the tune of `3,72,54,016/- (`3.72 crore). Quite frankly this amount is peanut, when we hear of stories of Mallya and others, running into hundreds of crores. The list of such wrong doers would be a literal ‘who’s who’ of our socio-economic & political functionaries. Hope these convictions increase to put fear into the heart of habitual offenders and looters of public money.
MAHARASHTRA: There was this report datelined Nagpur ascribing to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Speaking on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly in its Nagpur Secretariat, former CM had suggested that the central government should introduce `200 currency and that `1000 currency notes need not be brought back into circulation.
These political leaders, with the exception of few, can’t think, out of the box. To give `200, one can use 2 notes of `100/-. Similarly we do not need `20/- notes, since giving 2 notes of `10/- in place `20/- note, is just as easy.
We need to think little differently. What we need is `250/- notes and `25/- notes, which can truly facilitate lot of dealings where you need smaller notes & coins which are in short supply. Also there are number of situations where one can use a bundle of `25,000/- (250X100) or multiple thereof similarly `2500/- (25X100) and multiple thereof.
This proposal was circulated in ISSUES&CONCERNS, over a year ago and may be even sent to PMO for consideration.
Hope the power that be wakes up to the ground condition and consider the proposal.
Ajaykumar Waghmare of Nanded had filed a petition in Bombay High Court (BHC) requesting the BHC to look into some scenes in the film ‘Jolly LLB’, in which, Waghmare contended that there are deliberate attempts to malign the reputation of the Indian Legal Profession. He wanted these scenes to be dropped from the film and tender an unconditional apology. According to Wagmare, “Trailers released of the movie on social media and television channels are nothing but attempts to portray the Indian legal Profession as a laughing stock to the society at large”.
The Advocate from Nanded, went on and on, in his submission about the alleged tarnishing of the reputation of his fraternity in the film ‘Jolly LLB’.
A film is known to be a medium to reflect on issues that concerns general public. If the film makers have taken liberty to portray the legal fraternity in poor light, they may be having some grounds to do so. So the BHC must lend its ears to the ‘Jolly LLB’ producers, as well, which reportedly BHC has asked for their response.
But our friend from Nanded, Ajay Kumar Waghmare, has he got a case? Its 'Yes' & 'No'. Yes, he does have a case. But at the same time he has a weak case as well. The fraternity of lawyers has not been always without contradictions and controversies. There are enough instances where their actions have portrayed them poorly. Of course they too are humans. There are good and very good among them, but then there are also black sheeps.
The Bar-council of India President Manan Kumar Mishra has recently told a gathering that had CJI Justice Khehar in attendance, about some 50% of lawyers being fake. ‘Jolly LLB’ too presents a picture of a lawyer, who is not qualified. So if ‘Jolly LLB’ has a case, it can’t be denied.
Of course, it was surprising, that only an advocate from Nanded, an interior town of Maharashtra, thought of going to court, none from Delhi, Mumbai or other metros. Does this mean, most lawyers do not disagree with ‘Jolly LLB’!?
Macbeth had famously observed “Out, out, brief Candle! Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more, it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
Indeed for all these post independent years, Indian politicians & bureaucrats have spoken and spoken, have made enough noise but done precious little, especially when it came to health care and other social indicators. Despite 12 development plans, a large section of Indians have remained outside the socio-economic development of the country. Among other needs of a large section of Indians, affordable health care remained a mirage for a vast section of Indians.
Addressing a conference recently on “Health care: A commodity or Basic Human Need”, Dr. Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Centre explained “Accessibility and affordability are the two major challenges in India. Universal health care is not just a pipe dream but a necessary global reality which is a principal concept in health care planning.”
The conference was jointly organized by Tata Memorial Centre, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Tata Trusts and Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University.
As a free nation, we are 70 years old. Our development planners, economic managers, political leadership have been comprehensively unimaginative in having a vision for the country and its people. Why a government exists, if not for its people! Unfortunately, it has been there only for a section of the population who manage the affairs of the country, the politicians, civil servants, traders, industrialists, contractors, political brokers, big farmers, top professionals, they decide the priorities and make investments and share its benefits. Even today India has more malnourished and illiterate persons than any other country. Over 80%of our pregnant women are anaemic. Added to that, is the state of healthcare sector, where private initiatives are allowed a free run with government hospitals running with less and less doctors and equally less and less medicines available. The stocks at Sanjeevini, the generic medicine outlets are woefully sad, as if they are there only to promote private enterprise.
The above conference, probably, is not a first time happening. It has happened regularly to only appear in the media- ‘full of sound and fury, signifying precious nothing.’ Nineteenth century observation of Macbeth is still relevant in 21st century. A sad reality of India!
KARNATAKA:Former Karnataka CM, former Minister of External Affairs Mr. S.M Krishna has resigned from his party, so informs the media. “I am yet to decide on the next step” he is reported to have stated. Reportedly he is 84 years old. At this age what kind of serious service he can do as he is contemplating his next step?
If he has resigned to remain in the news, it’s OK. But is he looking for some important role so late in the day?!
Why are these elder politicians thinking, that they are the only nation servers? When will they make room for youth in nation building?! Right or wrong each political party has its own priorities. Serving the nation may be one of their objectives but certainly not a priority. SMK is only one of the many octogenarians, who are battling their irrelevance. Sad and bad politics!
Deccan Herald editorial of 13th Feb. “Rohingya killing…”, among other things also took trouble of ‘highlighting’ “Islamophobia is turning us into unfeeling cold people.”
It is true that Rohingyas are suffering at the hands of Burmese authorities. World must take a call, purely from a humanitarian angle.
But can we make the Burmese accountable for the suffering of Rohingyas? To start with Burmese people may not be concerned if Rohingyas are Muslim, unlike Indian media which is ‘worried’. Burmese people are worried about an issue, on which media in India has no take.
Rohingyas’ history is over 100 years. They were brought to Burma as labourers by Britishers. According to British census their number was 58,255 in 1872. Now, reportedly, its 1.1 million, which means, it has grown 19 times.
In 1982, Gen. Ne Win, effectively denied them Burmese nationality, and thus they were denied legitimate livelihood options. Hence their suffering is genuine. But the uncontrolled and increasing number of the Rohingyas is causing grave concern to Buddhists of Burma. Presently Buddhists are 90% of the 50 million populations. But they are worried, by 2050 Rohingyas may overtake Buddhists, which they never want it happen. Is their fear unfounded? Are they expected to be minorities in their own country?
The news is, Bangladesh is trying to rehabilitate these Rohingyas in some inhospitable island. But why don't their friends in media, ask Saudi Arabia and other Arab petro dollar countries to accommodate these Rohingyas. They can after all, be seen as fellow members of the same faith and these Rohingyas can provide cheap labour as well. After all even Europe is welcoming migrants for its cheap labour component. Some food for thought!
TAMIL NADU:Whole of media savvy Indians are aware what is happening in Tamil Nadu, since the passing away of the only man in AIADMK, K. Jayalalitha. MLA’s met and ‘elected’, Sasikala as the Gen Secretary of AIADMK. Then the clamour started, like Jayalalitha in the past, Gen Secretary should also be the CM. So, Pannirselvam (OPS) was ‘convinced’ to resign and Sasikala was ‘elected’ as the CM, pending presenting her credentials to the Governor.
Governor took his own time, and fortunately Supreme Court verdict became handy to delay the swearing in. In the meanwhile, listening to his ‘conscience’, at the Jaya memorial, OPS tells about the pressure put on him to resign and leaves it to God to take the call. Machinist that Sasikala is, she managed to herd 135 MLAs to a resort. That was a week ago.
A week later, Sasikala is set to go to jail, not sure when; she decides to select her nominee as CM candidate, ‘removes’ OPS as AIADMK member. There was a speculation that ‘once convicted’ Sasikala’s camp will be deserted. But that didn’t happen so far. Except some MLAs, and a niece of Jayalalitha have joined OPS.
In this whole scenario, one thing emerges clearly. OPS is an obedient AIADMK worker and had implicitly carried out Jayalalitha’s orders. Is he fit beyond that? He appears to be dependent on emotional support looking for sympathy, but doing precious nothing to garner support. He could have travelled, for all these past 7 days, the whole length and breadth of Tamil Nadu to tell people how he has been wronged and if they are convinced should call their MLAs and ask them to support OPS. He does not seem to have any strategy, except celebrating the court verdict and saying “God is Great”. God does not need certificate from humans.
As was evident, all these days, and post SC verdict on Sasikala, OPS has no influence on anybody. He only wants to live on the goodwill of Jayalalitha.
Surely there are competent people in AIADMK, other than OPS, who may not like his leadership, now that Jaya is not there. So they have asserted to upstage him. For all you know, there may not be exodus to OPS Camp, and Sasikala nominee may romp home after all.
With Jaya niece on his side, he must form a separate group, have a strategy in place and start building ‘Jaya ADMK’ from scratch. May be by next election, he may emerge as a force along with Deepa. If in the meanwhile, Sasikala is taken to Parappana Agrahaara in Bengalooru, dice may still go in favour of OPS. People of Tamil Nadu do not deserve this uncertainty.
KERALA: All of us have to die someday, some early some late. So was E Ahamed, an M.P from Kerala.
Loksabha paid tributes to his departed soul and also adjourned the House for a day. The matter should have ended there. But that was not to be.
Politicians need issues for its sensation quotient. Thus after several days the issue of his death was raked by Kerala MPs, under the banner “Parliamentarians for dignified life and death”, alleging that their honour was hurt due to the delay in informing the parliament.
Rahul Gandhi of Congress joined the crowd for whatever sense it made.
E Ahamed, was a controversial Kerala politician and in his death too, his ‘friends’ raked an avoidable controversy.
While being a Kerala Minister, this E Ahamed had ‘famously’ brought Arabs into Kerala without visas and no action was taken for this open violation of the law of the land. Wonder what Kerala MPs have to say on this.
World: The news datelined Karachi “Terrorist attack kills 100 in Pakistan” made a very sad reading. Baghdad report informed “car bomb kills 45”, was another sad happening, within 24 hours, between as far a place as Karachi and Baghdad. But the common factor that caused the mayhem is Islamic State or IS as was known.
Why is this lunatic fringe is indulging in this kind of barbaric killings of innocents? Violence in the name of Islam is taking place from all parts of the world. From Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Libya, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria and many other countries, some or the other group affiliated to primitive fundamentalism are taking up arms to enforce its own set of rules and those who are opposed to its views are annihilated without remorse. To think that in Karachi, the victims of the bomb blast were praying in a shrine, and they too were Muslims like the killers, makes the whole episode macabre. Of course, as for Pakistan, it is chicken coming home to roost. For far too long it has mollycoddled these terror groups to cause ‘thousands cuts to India’, and played with fire. Now these groups are throttling Pakistan itself. If Pakistan is suffering its violent terror groups, it has only itself to blame, none else. Of course Pakistan will be too happy to blame India, like they do with Baluchistan politics. In other parts of Muslim world, the politics of Shia-Sunni is taking its own toll. It is an unfortunate dimension of Muslims all over the world that only Muslims can address. Fortunately India is not a victim of this Shia-Sunni sect.-politics. However for the larger picture of peace all over the world in general and Muslim countries in particular, the leadership of Muslim countries have to take the call, how they should control the anger of its faithfulls. Hope someday it happens for the good of all.
Post Donald Trump election to the United States, there has been apprehensions about his action on immigrants, especially Muslims. He proved himself right, when he stopped allowing migrants from seven Muslim countries. Court intervention has saved the day. But, the problem persists.
While all sympathies are with law abiding Muslim migrants, all migrants should look within themselves what can they do, so that there is less apprehension and more bonhomie in their social intercourse with the migrated society?
There are two contrasting stories that have appeared in the print media, which throws light on the prevailing atmosphere within the U.S. A New York date lined news tells, about a heartwarming letter a Muslim family received from his neighbor a day after Mr. Trump was sworn-in, which said Dear Neighbours, To-day begins a new stage for our country. No matter what happens, please know there are still a lot of people who will fight for your right to practice your religion, to continue your lives without discrimination. You are welcome in our neighborhood and if you need anything- please knock on our door.” Deeply touched, Abubakar Amry, reacted “This is the other side of America, this is the best, best, best experience. This act of kindness has changed my mind a lot. Even when I was driving the next day to my work, I looked at the people on the street totally different”.
Diametrically different was another incident in New York airport when a white American shouts and kicks a hijab-clad woman. Hijab clad Rabeeya Khan, an airline employee was sitting in her office at JFK International Airport and for no reason, this American Robin Rhodes, barges into her office and shouts “Trump is here now, he will get rid of all of you” and reportedly kicked her. When Rabeeya attempted to run away he followed her menacingly. Other staff stopped him and handed him over to the airport police. It was pure and simple racial hatred. If proved, he will be jailed.
So, these are the two contrasting picture from the U.S, and there are instances in the U.K & Australia too. But there is a larger question, which all migrants have to answer, for their own good and for their wholesome acceptance in an alien environment. Every country has its laws, its dos and don’ts, its social ethos, likes and dislikes of its people. All migrants should be sensitive to this, if they have to stay there with their head held high. They have to perforce accept the law of the land, strictly do nothing, which can antagonize the authorities and its citizenry. Read literatures on the prejudices and their likes and dislikes, even if one has to make some adjustments. After all migrants are not invited, they requested their entry into the country; it is only fair that, there are no hiccups in accepting it. Migrants cannot insist on their way of life, in someone else land. There may be lot of people in the host country, who may not mind accepting migrants as they are. But, it certainly pays in both peace and better life, if migrants adjust to the new environment. It’s not for nothing the adage came about “While in Rome do as the Romans do”. Parsies when they landed in Sanjan, centuries ago, on the Gujarat coast, running away from persecution in Persia they were asked by the Sanjan King, ‘how would they merge with the locals?’ Parsi priest asked for a glass of milk, when given, he mixed the sugar he had carried and said “Just like this”. And they lived happily ever after in Gujarat and beyond.
All in all, it’s fairly a positive budget. Of course, for those who want to criticize, need not have reasons, like opposition parties do it routinely ‘sticking to script’. Not that it does not have any shortcoming, but let’s take the positive and leave the negative to pessimist. As usual criticism, just for the heck of it, takes us no-where. Hope all proposals of the budget are carried to its logical end.
In recent times, BSF has been in the news for some wrong reasons. Reasons, they should be reasonably disturbed about.
In all forces, whether army, navy or air force, Border Security forces and there are other national security related agencies, besides police, the sentries or jawans or constables are always badly treated in all respects. Whether, it’s their food, clothing, accommodation or even their pay packet. There is no fairness. It is a fact, known across the spectrum. But no-body complains because of its ‘discipline’ and of course, the fear of possible retribution at the hands of seniors.
For every level there is something of a difference of vertical nature with pay and perks. But there is something as basic minimum, quality of food, quality of accommodation facility and of course a living wage. It is so in most part of the world. But in India, difference between the top man and the bottom man can be truly staggering.
Hence, the video of a BSF Jawan from 29 Battalion in Poonch, uploaded on social media, showing picture of poor quality chapathi or roti, and watery dal and had requested the PMO to probe where he accused higher-ups selling the essentials procured for jawans.
According to the jawan “We only get a paratha and tea as breakfast without any pickle or vegetable, we slog for 11 hours and at times we have to stand throughout the duty hours. For lunch, we get dal which only has haldi (turmeric) and salt with roti. This is the quality of the food we get, how can a jawan do his duty”. He also fears that, now that he has gone public higher-up may do anything and asked public to take it forward.
As expected the authorities came up with the story of BSF is highly sensitive to the welfare of troops and have ordered an inquiry and that Jawan has remarks on him in the past, etc. Reportedly he has been shifted and his supervisor suspended. The latest is not known, although the VRS that the jawan had requested has been withheld.
Then comes this news of a clerk going public with his video alleging sale of liquor to civilians, which was meant for BSF personnel, this is despite his complaints in the past and no action taken he alleges.
Thus, once the clerk posted his video, the authorities responded by ordering a probe. But then this is an open secret that liquor is sold to civilians at a premium, which is sold to security forces at a highly subsidized rate. According to the video of the clerk, one Chaudhary from Bikaner Rajasthan, who works at 150 Battalion in Gandhidham Kutch, Gujarat, ‘a civilian is seen carrying liquor bottles. In Gujarat sale and consumption of liquor is prohibited.’ He alleges “we cannot even ask for good food, if someone complains, he is treated as if he has committed a grave offence. All wants to end corruption. But nobody comes forward to end it. Every time a whistle blower is punished and all rules are applied against him, but nothing happens to the corrupt.” He had complained four months ago about liquor sale to civilian. But nothing happened. “Hence I am going public. I am not afraid of being transferred. But they cannot break my morale”. So, the stories are real. This is Yeh Mera India, where good not rewarded and wicked never punished.
Something is not really alright with the Supreme Court/ High Court judges, especially when it comes to granting custody of small children. Some judges seem to think, they know better when it comes to child’s welfare, even better than child psychologists. In fact, it is neither the judge nor the child psychologist who are qualified to sit on judgement when it comes to child custody, it is the child alone who should decide. It is the right of the child to decide its future, where it feels more secure and comfortable to opt for either of the parent. It is simply not the case of parent’s rights as to who should have the custody. Court has no business in interfering with the emotional demands of the child.
The other day Bombay High Court (BHC) granted the custody of child to the mother, despite the inconsolably crying child wanting to go with the father. It was a case of father kidnapping the child boy returning from school, while it was in the custody of mother. She went to police and then to BHC. Judges reprimanded the father for taking the child away. But the learned judges failed to ask the child, ‘are you happy with the father or you want to return to mother’. Child had clearly made-up its mind to go with the father, but court forced its way to let mother take the custody and asked parents leave the court primises. By this judgement, court has clearly hurt the interest of the child and in the process denied the moral right of father and caused the rupture of the even pace of father-child bonding and possibly even the future life of the child.
Then comes another case where an 8 year old daughter was handed over to the mother, by the Supreme Court, despite the child’s desire to live with her father. Even the child counselor had observed that child was in a very sensitive phase of mental and physical growth and it was in her best interest that the present arrangement is not disturbed as she remained with the father since she was 21 months old”. That is over 6 years with the father. And the judges in their wisdom thought otherwise. In their strange logic, they contended similar time frame should be given to the mother for the child to develop affinity and love for the mother. They used the term ‘level playing field’. It was clearly a case of miscarriage of justice. Certainly a child counselor is more competent than judges in such cases. But most important was the wishes of this minor girl child, which court clearly trampled, by completely ignoring it and forcing the child to go with the mother. It was indeed very sad.
Madhya Pradesh: Reacting to a piece of writing in “India Against Demonetization” on 9th Feb one Mr. Gilbert D’Souza accused a section of Indians as “uncouth, uncivil, regressive, uncultured, pedestrian, autocratic… I can go on”. Probably he ran out of his steam. Then comes this story on 11th Feb, of Wang Chi, a Chinese soldier, who had strayed into India, post 1962 war with India. He was captured on Jan. 3, 1963. He was treated as a spy and spent some 8 years in different Indian prisons. Since he could not establish contact with his people in China, despite all help from the government of India, he settled down in a village, Tirodi in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. He adopted an Indian name Raj Bahadur Wang, got married to an Indian woman and reportedly has grand children. He remembers the help and assistance received from former PM Rajiv Gandhi, so also former Deputy PM L.K. Advani, whom this Mr. Gibert B’Souza had called “uncouth, uncivil, regressive, uncultured, pedestrian, autocratic etc”, since Mr. LK Advani is from BJP.
Now after 54 years, Chinese Authorities have relented and have given him a Chinese Passport and a Visa. It took some 25 years to get his letter across to his mother in China, who had replied that “now she would sleep in peace after 24 years of frantic search”. “Sadly, my mother passed away without seeing me,” he recalls. According to Wang Chi urf Raj Bahadur Wang, wants to visit China just once, after which he will settle down in Balaghat ‘forever’. If only this Wang Chi urf Raj Bahadur Wang had heard of Mr. Gilbert D’Souza, may be, he may never want to come back to the ‘uncouth, uncivil, uncultured’ Madhya Pradesh, India.
JHARKHAND: Indeed things are changing for better, although very slowly. Better late than never. Something is better than nothing. A former Jharkhand minister is reportedly jailed for Money Laundering. According to Ranchi datelined media report Harinarayana Rai, who held different cabinet portfolios under different governments, was sentenced by the court of special judge B.K. Tiwari, for 7 years rigorous imprisonment and was fined `5 lakh.
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was enacted in 2002 and being implemented from 2005 in order to check and curb black money and grave financial crimes.
And this Jharkhand minister Harinarayan Rai, reportedly became the first to be convicted, and that too a three time cabinet minister in three governments. That is indeed a good development. “Kaanoon ke haath bahoot lambey hotey hain”. If both executive (police, CBI, E.D. etc) and judiciary (lawyers & judges) honestly join hands and sincerely work together conviction of persons like Minister Rai should be so much easier.
All news savvy Indians are privy to the fact, that in public space, there are any number of stories, about members of all estates of our democratic milieu, be it legislature, executive, judiciary and even media are involved in grave financial misdemeanors of different types. There are also senior functionaries and owners of business houses too in this game of financial skull drudgery. Unfortunately, despite there being all kinds of laws to check such crimes in public space and many have been booked by law enforcing authorities, last word was rarely said. Hence it took some 12 years for the first conviction under the new enactment of PMLA. Yes, better late than never.
According to the report, it was Jharkhand’s Vigilance Bureau that filed an FIR in 2009 against the minister Rai, then CBI too probed, besides Enforcement Directorate(ED). Rai had 3 shell companies in the name of his wife and brother and laundered unaccounted money he made by misappropriation of public fund.
Reportedly court found minister Rai guilty for laundering proceeds of crime to the tune of `3,72,54,016/- (`3.72 crore). Quite frankly this amount is peanut, when we hear of stories of Mallya and others, running into hundreds of crores. The list of such wrong doers would be a literal ‘who’s who’ of our socio-economic & political functionaries. Hope these convictions increase to put fear into the heart of habitual offenders and looters of public money.
MAHARASHTRA: There was this report datelined Nagpur ascribing to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Speaking on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly in its Nagpur Secretariat, former CM had suggested that the central government should introduce `200 currency and that `1000 currency notes need not be brought back into circulation.
These political leaders, with the exception of few, can’t think, out of the box. To give `200, one can use 2 notes of `100/-. Similarly we do not need `20/- notes, since giving 2 notes of `10/- in place `20/- note, is just as easy.
We need to think little differently. What we need is `250/- notes and `25/- notes, which can truly facilitate lot of dealings where you need smaller notes & coins which are in short supply. Also there are number of situations where one can use a bundle of `25,000/- (250X100) or multiple thereof similarly `2500/- (25X100) and multiple thereof.
This proposal was circulated in ISSUES&CONCERNS, over a year ago and may be even sent to PMO for consideration.
Hope the power that be wakes up to the ground condition and consider the proposal.
Ajaykumar Waghmare of Nanded had filed a petition in Bombay High Court (BHC) requesting the BHC to look into some scenes in the film ‘Jolly LLB’, in which, Waghmare contended that there are deliberate attempts to malign the reputation of the Indian Legal Profession. He wanted these scenes to be dropped from the film and tender an unconditional apology. According to Wagmare, “Trailers released of the movie on social media and television channels are nothing but attempts to portray the Indian legal Profession as a laughing stock to the society at large”.
The Advocate from Nanded, went on and on, in his submission about the alleged tarnishing of the reputation of his fraternity in the film ‘Jolly LLB’.
A film is known to be a medium to reflect on issues that concerns general public. If the film makers have taken liberty to portray the legal fraternity in poor light, they may be having some grounds to do so. So the BHC must lend its ears to the ‘Jolly LLB’ producers, as well, which reportedly BHC has asked for their response.
But our friend from Nanded, Ajay Kumar Waghmare, has he got a case? Its 'Yes' & 'No'. Yes, he does have a case. But at the same time he has a weak case as well. The fraternity of lawyers has not been always without contradictions and controversies. There are enough instances where their actions have portrayed them poorly. Of course they too are humans. There are good and very good among them, but then there are also black sheeps.
The Bar-council of India President Manan Kumar Mishra has recently told a gathering that had CJI Justice Khehar in attendance, about some 50% of lawyers being fake. ‘Jolly LLB’ too presents a picture of a lawyer, who is not qualified. So if ‘Jolly LLB’ has a case, it can’t be denied.
Of course, it was surprising, that only an advocate from Nanded, an interior town of Maharashtra, thought of going to court, none from Delhi, Mumbai or other metros. Does this mean, most lawyers do not disagree with ‘Jolly LLB’!?
Macbeth had famously observed “Out, out, brief Candle! Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more, it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
Indeed for all these post independent years, Indian politicians & bureaucrats have spoken and spoken, have made enough noise but done precious little, especially when it came to health care and other social indicators. Despite 12 development plans, a large section of Indians have remained outside the socio-economic development of the country. Among other needs of a large section of Indians, affordable health care remained a mirage for a vast section of Indians.
Addressing a conference recently on “Health care: A commodity or Basic Human Need”, Dr. Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Centre explained “Accessibility and affordability are the two major challenges in India. Universal health care is not just a pipe dream but a necessary global reality which is a principal concept in health care planning.”
The conference was jointly organized by Tata Memorial Centre, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Tata Trusts and Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University.
As a free nation, we are 70 years old. Our development planners, economic managers, political leadership have been comprehensively unimaginative in having a vision for the country and its people. Why a government exists, if not for its people! Unfortunately, it has been there only for a section of the population who manage the affairs of the country, the politicians, civil servants, traders, industrialists, contractors, political brokers, big farmers, top professionals, they decide the priorities and make investments and share its benefits. Even today India has more malnourished and illiterate persons than any other country. Over 80%of our pregnant women are anaemic. Added to that, is the state of healthcare sector, where private initiatives are allowed a free run with government hospitals running with less and less doctors and equally less and less medicines available. The stocks at Sanjeevini, the generic medicine outlets are woefully sad, as if they are there only to promote private enterprise.
The above conference, probably, is not a first time happening. It has happened regularly to only appear in the media- ‘full of sound and fury, signifying precious nothing.’ Nineteenth century observation of Macbeth is still relevant in 21st century. A sad reality of India!
KARNATAKA:Former Karnataka CM, former Minister of External Affairs Mr. S.M Krishna has resigned from his party, so informs the media. “I am yet to decide on the next step” he is reported to have stated. Reportedly he is 84 years old. At this age what kind of serious service he can do as he is contemplating his next step?
If he has resigned to remain in the news, it’s OK. But is he looking for some important role so late in the day?!
Why are these elder politicians thinking, that they are the only nation servers? When will they make room for youth in nation building?! Right or wrong each political party has its own priorities. Serving the nation may be one of their objectives but certainly not a priority. SMK is only one of the many octogenarians, who are battling their irrelevance. Sad and bad politics!
Deccan Herald editorial of 13th Feb. “Rohingya killing…”, among other things also took trouble of ‘highlighting’ “Islamophobia is turning us into unfeeling cold people.”
It is true that Rohingyas are suffering at the hands of Burmese authorities. World must take a call, purely from a humanitarian angle.
But can we make the Burmese accountable for the suffering of Rohingyas? To start with Burmese people may not be concerned if Rohingyas are Muslim, unlike Indian media which is ‘worried’. Burmese people are worried about an issue, on which media in India has no take.
Rohingyas’ history is over 100 years. They were brought to Burma as labourers by Britishers. According to British census their number was 58,255 in 1872. Now, reportedly, its 1.1 million, which means, it has grown 19 times.
In 1982, Gen. Ne Win, effectively denied them Burmese nationality, and thus they were denied legitimate livelihood options. Hence their suffering is genuine. But the uncontrolled and increasing number of the Rohingyas is causing grave concern to Buddhists of Burma. Presently Buddhists are 90% of the 50 million populations. But they are worried, by 2050 Rohingyas may overtake Buddhists, which they never want it happen. Is their fear unfounded? Are they expected to be minorities in their own country?
The news is, Bangladesh is trying to rehabilitate these Rohingyas in some inhospitable island. But why don't their friends in media, ask Saudi Arabia and other Arab petro dollar countries to accommodate these Rohingyas. They can after all, be seen as fellow members of the same faith and these Rohingyas can provide cheap labour as well. After all even Europe is welcoming migrants for its cheap labour component. Some food for thought!
TAMIL NADU:Whole of media savvy Indians are aware what is happening in Tamil Nadu, since the passing away of the only man in AIADMK, K. Jayalalitha. MLA’s met and ‘elected’, Sasikala as the Gen Secretary of AIADMK. Then the clamour started, like Jayalalitha in the past, Gen Secretary should also be the CM. So, Pannirselvam (OPS) was ‘convinced’ to resign and Sasikala was ‘elected’ as the CM, pending presenting her credentials to the Governor.
Governor took his own time, and fortunately Supreme Court verdict became handy to delay the swearing in. In the meanwhile, listening to his ‘conscience’, at the Jaya memorial, OPS tells about the pressure put on him to resign and leaves it to God to take the call. Machinist that Sasikala is, she managed to herd 135 MLAs to a resort. That was a week ago.
A week later, Sasikala is set to go to jail, not sure when; she decides to select her nominee as CM candidate, ‘removes’ OPS as AIADMK member. There was a speculation that ‘once convicted’ Sasikala’s camp will be deserted. But that didn’t happen so far. Except some MLAs, and a niece of Jayalalitha have joined OPS.
In this whole scenario, one thing emerges clearly. OPS is an obedient AIADMK worker and had implicitly carried out Jayalalitha’s orders. Is he fit beyond that? He appears to be dependent on emotional support looking for sympathy, but doing precious nothing to garner support. He could have travelled, for all these past 7 days, the whole length and breadth of Tamil Nadu to tell people how he has been wronged and if they are convinced should call their MLAs and ask them to support OPS. He does not seem to have any strategy, except celebrating the court verdict and saying “God is Great”. God does not need certificate from humans.
As was evident, all these days, and post SC verdict on Sasikala, OPS has no influence on anybody. He only wants to live on the goodwill of Jayalalitha.
Surely there are competent people in AIADMK, other than OPS, who may not like his leadership, now that Jaya is not there. So they have asserted to upstage him. For all you know, there may not be exodus to OPS Camp, and Sasikala nominee may romp home after all.
With Jaya niece on his side, he must form a separate group, have a strategy in place and start building ‘Jaya ADMK’ from scratch. May be by next election, he may emerge as a force along with Deepa. If in the meanwhile, Sasikala is taken to Parappana Agrahaara in Bengalooru, dice may still go in favour of OPS. People of Tamil Nadu do not deserve this uncertainty.
KERALA: All of us have to die someday, some early some late. So was E Ahamed, an M.P from Kerala.
Loksabha paid tributes to his departed soul and also adjourned the House for a day. The matter should have ended there. But that was not to be.
Politicians need issues for its sensation quotient. Thus after several days the issue of his death was raked by Kerala MPs, under the banner “Parliamentarians for dignified life and death”, alleging that their honour was hurt due to the delay in informing the parliament.
Rahul Gandhi of Congress joined the crowd for whatever sense it made.
E Ahamed, was a controversial Kerala politician and in his death too, his ‘friends’ raked an avoidable controversy.
While being a Kerala Minister, this E Ahamed had ‘famously’ brought Arabs into Kerala without visas and no action was taken for this open violation of the law of the land. Wonder what Kerala MPs have to say on this.
World: The news datelined Karachi “Terrorist attack kills 100 in Pakistan” made a very sad reading. Baghdad report informed “car bomb kills 45”, was another sad happening, within 24 hours, between as far a place as Karachi and Baghdad. But the common factor that caused the mayhem is Islamic State or IS as was known.
Why is this lunatic fringe is indulging in this kind of barbaric killings of innocents? Violence in the name of Islam is taking place from all parts of the world. From Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Libya, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria and many other countries, some or the other group affiliated to primitive fundamentalism are taking up arms to enforce its own set of rules and those who are opposed to its views are annihilated without remorse. To think that in Karachi, the victims of the bomb blast were praying in a shrine, and they too were Muslims like the killers, makes the whole episode macabre. Of course, as for Pakistan, it is chicken coming home to roost. For far too long it has mollycoddled these terror groups to cause ‘thousands cuts to India’, and played with fire. Now these groups are throttling Pakistan itself. If Pakistan is suffering its violent terror groups, it has only itself to blame, none else. Of course Pakistan will be too happy to blame India, like they do with Baluchistan politics. In other parts of Muslim world, the politics of Shia-Sunni is taking its own toll. It is an unfortunate dimension of Muslims all over the world that only Muslims can address. Fortunately India is not a victim of this Shia-Sunni sect.-politics. However for the larger picture of peace all over the world in general and Muslim countries in particular, the leadership of Muslim countries have to take the call, how they should control the anger of its faithfulls. Hope someday it happens for the good of all.
Post Donald Trump election to the United States, there has been apprehensions about his action on immigrants, especially Muslims. He proved himself right, when he stopped allowing migrants from seven Muslim countries. Court intervention has saved the day. But, the problem persists.
While all sympathies are with law abiding Muslim migrants, all migrants should look within themselves what can they do, so that there is less apprehension and more bonhomie in their social intercourse with the migrated society?
There are two contrasting stories that have appeared in the print media, which throws light on the prevailing atmosphere within the U.S. A New York date lined news tells, about a heartwarming letter a Muslim family received from his neighbor a day after Mr. Trump was sworn-in, which said Dear Neighbours, To-day begins a new stage for our country. No matter what happens, please know there are still a lot of people who will fight for your right to practice your religion, to continue your lives without discrimination. You are welcome in our neighborhood and if you need anything- please knock on our door.” Deeply touched, Abubakar Amry, reacted “This is the other side of America, this is the best, best, best experience. This act of kindness has changed my mind a lot. Even when I was driving the next day to my work, I looked at the people on the street totally different”.
Diametrically different was another incident in New York airport when a white American shouts and kicks a hijab-clad woman. Hijab clad Rabeeya Khan, an airline employee was sitting in her office at JFK International Airport and for no reason, this American Robin Rhodes, barges into her office and shouts “Trump is here now, he will get rid of all of you” and reportedly kicked her. When Rabeeya attempted to run away he followed her menacingly. Other staff stopped him and handed him over to the airport police. It was pure and simple racial hatred. If proved, he will be jailed.
So, these are the two contrasting picture from the U.S, and there are instances in the U.K & Australia too. But there is a larger question, which all migrants have to answer, for their own good and for their wholesome acceptance in an alien environment. Every country has its laws, its dos and don’ts, its social ethos, likes and dislikes of its people. All migrants should be sensitive to this, if they have to stay there with their head held high. They have to perforce accept the law of the land, strictly do nothing, which can antagonize the authorities and its citizenry. Read literatures on the prejudices and their likes and dislikes, even if one has to make some adjustments. After all migrants are not invited, they requested their entry into the country; it is only fair that, there are no hiccups in accepting it. Migrants cannot insist on their way of life, in someone else land. There may be lot of people in the host country, who may not mind accepting migrants as they are. But, it certainly pays in both peace and better life, if migrants adjust to the new environment. It’s not for nothing the adage came about “While in Rome do as the Romans do”. Parsies when they landed in Sanjan, centuries ago, on the Gujarat coast, running away from persecution in Persia they were asked by the Sanjan King, ‘how would they merge with the locals?’ Parsi priest asked for a glass of milk, when given, he mixed the sugar he had carried and said “Just like this”. And they lived happily ever after in Gujarat and beyond.
Comments